Critical Consensus: Sundance-Winning Romance "Like Crazy" Is The Pick of the Week

One of the most anticipated American indie releases of the year, Drake Doremus's romantic drama "Like Crazy" is the pick of the week for opening specialty films, according to the folks polled on criticWIRE.

One of the most anticipated American indie releases of the year, Drake Doremus's romantic drama "Like Crazy" is the pick of the week for opening specialty films, according to the folks polled on criticWIRE.

Winner of the top prize for U.S. narratives at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, "Crazy" details the at times intensely romantic, at times intensely problematic long-distance relationship between two twentysomethings - one a Brit and one an American. Starring Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin in what could be star-making performances, 19 critics gave the film an B+ on the film's criticWIRE page. indieWIRE's Eric Kohn gave the film a B+ in his review:

As the relationship grows increasingly strained, Doremus offers a terrific showcase for both actors. Yelchin, currently best known for playing Chekov in J.J. Abrams’s “Star Trek” reboot, has a natural vulnerability that plays into his character’s fragile nature. Jones, meanwhile, credibly exhibits a gentle naivete. As a result, they share an indelible and entirely realistic chemistry, even though the plot meanders along, occasionally becoming repetitive and predictable as their connection begins to fray. Doremus handles the ensuing drama well enough. You’ve been here before, but it’s not a bad place to visit.

More extensive takes on "Like Crazy" and other films opening this weekend -- including "Anonymous" and "The Rum Diary" -- are linked below.

Also offered is the top 10 criticWIRE scores for films already in theaters (divided into narrative and documentary categories), which is currently topped by doc "Hell and Back Again" (which has a rare "A" average), Note that only films with three or more grades have their averages included.

criticWIRE: Films Opening This WeekNOTE: The averages listed here are current as of the publishing of this article. They are subject to change as new grades come in and will be updated in next week's edition of this article.